CLOSING THOUGHTS OF THE DAY

I've gotten a friend request three times from the same deacon. 

Each time, his name had been changed, but the photo remained the same, and the deacon title was still there-- making a mockery of whatever church he attends. 

Weird.

Last week I got a friend request with the message "Hello gorgeous" attached. 

Today the message read, and I sadly quote: "Hey luv i would like 2 talk 2 u sometime, inbox me yo #...." 

I checked the man's info, and just as I suspected, it was not a kid, but a grown man behaving like one...and he, like the deacon, has a wife...who is also on facebook. 
I don't personally know either of them. 

No. I don't make a habit of rejecting friend requests, even though my daughter has warned me about being so lax about it. I generally accept everyone-- although I have blocked a few crazies--who ALL happen to hold some kind of title or office at somebody's church! Anyway, that's another blog post altogether...

I didn't respond to the guy. I just blocked once more. 

I immediately felt sorry for the wife. Her wall and photos were so family oriented. Yes. I looked. His wall and photos? Not so much. 

To be fair, I imagine there are married women venturing outside of their marriages via social networking sites, too. Did people learn NOTHING from the trials and tribulations of a certain golf pro?

The message section of Facebook, and the DM option on Twitter serve many good purposes, but have, unfortunately, become the places where mischievously motivated, highly inappropriate words and propositions THINK they have a secure hiding place. 

I'd like to think that they're spam, and people just aren't that brazen. What makes people think that you won't rat them out? Do they already have a story concocted to explain their slimy behavior?

You may want to be put on a committee, a panel, a magazine cover, a list of the most influential or wealthy, a cruise ship, even---but do you really want to be put on blast? Anything you post on the internet can be captured and copied...and forwarded to anyone--including your spouse.

If your face and message can't be displayed on the public wall or page, the reason should be discretion, not deceitfulness. 

People must know that their actions are not slick and flattering, but pathetic and insulting. 

Don't they?

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I think people are offended when you seek to handle things in a business-like manner as opposed to a handshake and a smile. 

(Being burned repeatedly is a good incentive to go for the oven mitt the next time.) 

Some people look at it as a sign of mistrust when you seek to protect your interests. Sadly, sometimes the people who have the biggest issue with following proper channels are people who are in business themselves. Why is "under the table", and "on the side" good enough for everyone else?

When the manner in which you handle your own business is excellent in its efficiency, that should also be said of the manner in which you handle the business of others. Not with apathy, carelessness, resentment, sarcasm, deception, or attitude---but with excellence. Contracts wouldn't be needed if the first people on Earth who entered into agreements would have just done the right thing.

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Sometimes you wish you didn't know some things. Even when you do, be prepared for people NOT to react to things in the manner in which their previous opinions, conversations, and observations implied that they would. Sometimes people are just venting when they talk to you. Just listen. Don't chime in with your personal take on the matter. Listen. They mean what they say at the time, but you're nowhere around when their feelings change, or apologies are made, or reconciliation and forgiveness take place. 

Beware of taking sides when you've only heard one angle of a story. 

It doesn't mean that someone was lying to you or looking for sympathy. A person's perception of a matter is very real to them. 

Don't be shocked, appalled and confused when you see someone crying and in despair when you would have bet the farm that they would have been laughing and planning a big ol' party. 

Allow people to be human. Be a good listener, not a good recorder.

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No matter what the genre, the music industry is clear about itself. 

It is not a church. It is not a religion. It is a business. 

Even with the name of the Lord being regularly invoked, there is no guarantee that the products or the people making them are even remotely aligned to the Word of God or the cause of Christ. 

Local churches, on the other hand, can't be vague concerning their purpose. Pastors can't just swing open the doors and allow any and everyone to feed the sheep, sight unseen, just because there's a hot new CD to sell. Church folk shouldn't be forced or obligated to support something just because someone says it's gospel, Christian, or religious.
What one feels churches ought to, or COULD do, may not be what they SHOULD do. 
What one church does may not be feasible for another. What one pastor allows may not be prudent for another.

It's true. Every good idea is not a God idea. When sharing one's plan, one has to be careful not to offend or alienate the very people who would be most willing to help. One's attitude has a lot to do with whether one's cause will be embraced or ignored. Manipulative tactics, threats, and harsh talk is no way to get people to jump on board. The passion demonstrated concerning ONE thing, no matter how admirable it may be, can expose one's utter disregard for, and lack of understanding of the true purpose, and primary reason for existence of ANOTHER thing. 

I don't care how fantastic an idea may be. When it seeks to detract attention away from God and toward itself, it is doomed to fail.
No matter what the church experience has become, its focus should still, and forever be God. 

Some things are still sacred, and won't be easily turned into mere networking, self-promotion, or money making opportunities.

Houses of prayer STILL exist where worshiping God is primary---and promoting music, or anything else, takes a distant back seat. Congregations faithfully gather for weekly convocations. They are worshipers-- not convenient test dummies. 

Worship services aren't for the exposure of ANYTHING or anyone, except one's devotion, gratefulness and thankfulness to God. 

The notion that churches HAVE to carve out time during services and invite artists to sing or play, or be maligned if they don't is ridiculous. If they do, fine. If they don't, it's certainly their prerogative. 

It's okay to have something to sell, but no church body should be taken on a guilt trip for not allowing itself to be, essentially, pimped in the name of ministry. 

If you're going to a church, at least consider worshiping. If you're a member, don't ONLY look at your fellow parishioners as clients or cash-carrying consumers.